In U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,861, there is disclosed a method for preparing a frozen food product. The food product used in the method includes food pieces (such as meat, potatoes, carrots, peas, or the like) that are cooked in the presence of water. After cooking, substantially all of the free water present with the cooked food pieces is removed in a manner known in the art, leaving voids in the food mass formed by the cooked food pieces. The cooked food pieces are then charged to an agitator, which is normally a large rotating drum. While the food pieces are being agitated, a freezing gas, such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas, is introduced into the agitator to partially freeze the food pieces. The food pieces are only partially frozen by the gas, in order to leave an amount of unfrozen moisture on the exterior surfaces of the food pieces.
The reason for leaving the unfrozen moisture on the exterior surfaces of the food pieces is to allow a seasoning, or adjuvant, which is introduced into the agitator after or in conjunction with the freezing gas, to adhere to and coat each food piece. Adding the adjuvant to the partially frozen food pieces insures that the adjuvant will adhere to the residual moisture present on the food pieces. Once the adjuvant is added, additional freezing gas is introduced into the agitator to fully freeze the food pieces. The completely frozen food pieces are then placed within a container for deep freeze storage.
However, in the above-identified patent, the method is only capable of manufacturing and packaging a frozen food product in bulk form. In order to place the product into a more commercially viable form that can be sold directly to the ultimate consumer, the product must be repackaged from the original container into a number of smaller packages having a size more useful to the ultimate consumer.
Furthermore, when preparing a food product in bulk form, it is difficult to insure that the adjuvant added to the product is evenly distributed throughout the entire product. In many instances, the adjuvant tends to concentrate in certain areas of the agitator, resulting in over-seasoned product in those areas and under-seasoned product in others.
Lastly, when preparing a frozen food product according to this method, it is necessary to have a large agitator in which to place the entire batch of food product for preparation. Having an agitator of this size necessarily increases the cost of producing the product by requiring a large expense in acquiring the equipment and for the maintenance and repair of the agitator should it become damaged.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a process by which a frozen food product may be prepared and packaged in containers having a size appropriate for sale directly to an ultimate consumer.
Furthermore, it is also desirable to develop a process for preparing a frozen food product in which the adjuvant can be more precisely proportioned with the food product to lessen the occurrence of under-seasoned and over-portions of the food product.
Finally, it is desirable to develop a process having the above mentioned advantages that does not require the presence of a large agitator in order to produce the frozen food product.